Kobe's Injury

[Dr. James Naismith]

Do you think it was intentional or not on Jones's behalf?

[Raptor_11]

Unintentional. Just trying to close out on Kobe the best he can

[white men can't jump]

Intentional....and I'm not a Kobe lover.

You can tell because of the way he pushes his knee forward to plant his foot under Kobe. That's not how you contest a shot.

In fact, as a former ref, I'd have a hard time not calling a foul on Jones there. It looks like he pretty deliberately gets into Kobe's space.

[Red and White]

It looks intentional to me. He gets right under Kobe trying to land. As said above, that is not how you would usually contest.

[tucas]

Intentional....and I'm not a Kobe lover.

You can tell because of the way he pushes his knee forward to plant his foot under Kobe. That's not how you contest a shot.

In fact, as a former ref, I'd have a hard time not calling a foul on Jones there. It looks like he pretty deliberately gets into Kobe's space.

Kobe did the kick to draw the foul though. Now that's considered an offensive foul. I think it was unintentional but should've been a double foul, which is a pointless call to make.

[joey_hesketh]

That looked SOO intentional its not even funny.
Look at how he deliberately puts his one foot right between Kobe's legs.

Kobe did the kick to draw the foul though. Now that's considered an offensive foul. I think it was unintentional but should've been a double foul, which is a pointless call to make.

And actually, I'd say the kick was completely due to his momentum, and Kobe just trying to square his shoulders to the basket.

[ReubenJRD]

Intentional. Jones is basically a foot away from a contest, and he kicks his knee out to get under him. He's always been know for stupid defense.

[white men can't jump]

Kobe did the kick to draw the foul though. Now that's considered an offensive foul. I think it was unintentional but should've been a double foul, which is a pointless call to make.

I don't think the kick was as much to draw the foul as the natural motion of a fade away. FWIW, stepping under a guy is a much worse foul. Some refs I used to ref with wanted it called as an unsportsmanlike because it is usually intentional AND in no way is making a play on the ball/shot. That makes it resemble a flagrant in motivation except it is a "passive" play so it goes unnoticed a lot.

I might agree with you more if Jones didn't keep walking into Kobe's space through the fade away, but he ends up right between Kobe's legs, ie. in the very centre of his vertical zone.

[isaacthompson]

Kobe did the kick to draw the foul though. Now that's considered an offensive foul. I think it was unintentional but should've been a double foul, which is a pointless call to make.

That's just how Kobe shoots...no way they're calling an offensive foul on that. Especially on a player like Kobe, who would take his full wrath out on you as a ref.

[Sig]

Looks intentional to me, his leg even jerks forward a bit

[stretch]

The NBA is officially saying it should have been a foul. Hard to determine intent but Jones and Bryant have a history: Jones stuck out his leg to trip Bryant during Game 4 of the 2009 Western Conference finals while Jones played for Denver.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/15/sp...ef=todayspaper

[Vykis]

I think Jones closes in on jumpshots to irritate the player he's defending, the uncomfortable landing after the shot throws the offensive player a bit off as he has to think not just about the jumper. It wad used by pesky/borderline dirty defenders like Bowen etc....

[Red and White]

Very interesting to see how Bruce Bowen commented on the situation.

[NoPropsneeded]

Very interesting to see how Bruce Bowen commented on the situation.

He played dirty. That's not called defense